Ours

Williams debuts with a moving, fantastical story of family, friendship, fear, faith, and the nuances of freedom, portrayed through the lives of formerly enslaved Black Americans. Williams transports listeners to the 1834 town of Ours, located just north of St. Louis. A remarkable haven for the recently freed, Ours cannot be seen or found by outsiders. Saint, a powerful yet imperfect conjurer, is at the helm, shepherding a large group of people into a protected life free from bondage. With lyrical phrasing and evocative imagery, Williams crafts a compelling saga, tracing the characters’ lives over generations as they build a community and consider the true meaning of freedom and choice in a town shrouded in more ways than one. Mirroring Williams’s sensitive approach, narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt treats each character with care as she details their individual journeys, relationships, and shifting natures. Her commanding performance, enhanced with just the right amount of raspy expression, breathes life into each character.